Waiting For You

I have this vision in my head of what happens when someone cries out to the Lord in their trouble. It's as is a great hand reaches down, extends it's finger and then draws a straight path out in front of the new believer. No matter what obstacles are in front of the redeemed, they are swept aside just as easily as you can bend over and trace out a line in the sand.

This picture comes from my reading of...
"Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight." (Proverbs 3:5-6, NIV)

As you can see, from this passage, I derive the 'straight path' that extends out from the believer into the future. Acknowledging that the life of a Christian is a journey and that the journey is the sanctifying process by which the redeemed is refined, what's at the other end of that straight line? What is it we are headed towards? What is waiting for us over the horizon?

Well, let's examine one idea as revealed in...
"He led them by a straight way to a city where they could settle." (Psalm 107:7, NIV)

You may quickly realize that this is a follow-on verse to a previous post. Further, you may recall that this is a retelling of the salvation from the wilderness for the Hebrew people. Having wandered in the wilderness for 40 years, they were then led by a straigh way to the place that God had prepared for them. In this case, a city where they could settle.

Now I don't mean to treat this literally with respect to present day believers but I will not discount that God does often lead people from one city to another for his purposes. What I want to dwell upon is the concept that God prepares a place for us and then leads us to it. Also that for the repentant heart, the path within God's will is straight and free of insurmountable obstacles.

From this thought I draw comfort and hope. Though my present circumstances may sometimes appear confusing to me, I can rest assured that although the road is unknown, my way is directed by God himself. Though things rise up in the road that I alone cannot overcome, I can rest assured that the hand of God will lift me up and over. Sure, I will develop some spiritual muscles in the endeavor and no I am not waiting for God to push me along. I must place one foot in front of the other by a volitional act of my own will, I must engage in the obstacles and struggle against them. I must reach the end of my own efforts and then with a heart of thankfulness, call out for my Savior to take me where I alone cannot go. He is my mountain guide. Sometimes in my eagerness, I get too far ahead. Sometimes in my laziness, I fall too far behind. In those times, I call His name and my mountain guide comes or returns to me, he belays me and gets me past my obstacles. (Dibbs on the mountain guide!)

In as much as He is leading me FROM a wandering, wayward life of selfish ambition, vain pursuits and patterns of sinful behavior, He is leading me TO a life of service to Him, selfless works and new patterns of righteous behavior. He has taken me from the crooked and circular path and set my feet upon His highway, the straight and narrow Highway of Holiness.

Did I mention that this road is uphill? No, well it is and it is a struggle. Between where I am and the horizon, I see many who have given up the fight and have turned and begun the leisurely walk in the opposite direction. I want to turn them around, to encourage them to keep up the fight and to warn them of the destruction that lies at the bottom of the hill; the destruction that I have left behind. I want them to know that just over the horizon is their destination. A beautiful city where they can settle, one that has been prepared by God since the beginning of time, one where they may have a home and live in the presence of The King.

Well, that's what I think is waiting for me. What's waiting for you?

Walking,
Carl